Monday, December 26, 2005

Tiebor's seals #1


These pictures come from a Collier's article in January of 1945 and probably done at the Tiebor home on Tonawanda, NY. Mr. Tiebor is quoted as saying that in training "Use kindness, patience and lots of fish but keep your neck away from his teeth, when he bites he means it" a piece of advice that would not be lost on me were I in the seal business.
Roland's seals were with the Ringling Show for many years and those of you who have seen the GSOE movie will recall the opening animal display with Tiebor's seals, Rix' bears and Peterson's jockey dogs. Could you imagine that kind of talent in one display today?
My dad and Roland had been friends, I think on the Floto Show and later while making the Orrin Davenport Shrine dates they would cut up jackpots, I wish I had paid closer attention.

Posted by Buckles at 12/26/2005 06:46:00 AM

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now we're getting to the really good stuff. I believe I saw one of Mr. Tiebor Sr.'s last circus performances at the Detriot Shrine date in 1963 (same place I met the Woodcocks). Roland Jr. was going up to work at Benson's Wild Animal Farm and booked two sea lion acts for the animal display.
Later in my life I attempt to become a sea lion trainer. The St. Louis Zoo planned to have Roland Sr. come up for a few months to get me started. Unfortunately for both of us, Mr. Tiebor broke his hip and couldn't make the trip. I did get a lot of help and encouragement from his phone calls and letters. We kept in contact until he past away about 1982. (By the way Roland Jr. died about eight years ago.)
The tricks you pictured are some powerhouse behaviors. I'm not a big collector but one prize is a RBBB poster of Roland Tiebor doing the overhead hand to flipper stand.
Roland was certainly an A-1 trainer and an outstanding gentleman.

26 December, 2005 07:35
Buckles said...

Walter Jennier had a seal lie on it's back and Walter would do a hand stand on it's flippers. My dad mentioned to him that it was the first time he ever saw that trick and Walter replied "How many sea lion trainers can do a hand stand?".

26 December, 2005 08:29
Anonymous said...

Mornin' Buckles.. I have a duplicate set of horns like these.Fuzzy Plunkett broke Judy and I into the Sea-lion biz. He gave us his set of horns that he used in all of his seal acts over the years, They are a cherished trophy. We were with Ian Sr. when we debuted our act, after a trip around maple leaf gardens through the traffic in ice and snow we quickly built small wagons to transport our "girls" to and from the tanks.. Lee

26 December, 2005 08:48
Anonymous said...

When we first moved to Monterey, where the sea lions outnumber the rats and engender the same warm fuzzy feelings as cockroaches somebody mentioned to me that there had once been a family a streets away in Pacific Grove that trained "seal" acts for shows. A few years later i went to the local historical society to trace the story down and got blank stares, as if I'd been asking about trained fleas.

26 December, 2005 10:28
Anonymous said...

Sea lion bites: Sea lions are basically bears with funny feet so their bites can be serious. In my early sea lion days Tony Smaha Sr. offered some cautionary advice. "Jimmy, remember where their heads are." Normally, just a little south of your belt.
A sea lion bite is also a very "dirty" bite, subject to infection. I've been bitten a few times on arms and legs -- I did remember where their head were.

26 December, 2005 13:48
Anonymous said...

Dottie Kelly had a sea lion in the cook house, dineing area in Peru. It had a water tank and cage. I never saw her work with it. She did tell me the bite was like razor blades. Who had the sea lion act in Gulf Port MI in the 60S?. I think his name was Dick.

28 December, 2005 16:26
Pam Burghardt said...

That is so cool that you new my greatfather Roland Tiebor. I never did meet him. Once he retired in Flordia he didnt want to come back to freezing cold Buffalo. I appreciate hearing your story. Thank you!

21 January, 2011 02:38
Jbarn said...

I grew up living across the street from their Tonawanda NY home. They moved away before I was born. The building that held the lions was behind the house.

11 April, 2021 19:15

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